Sunday, April 2, 2017

38 Weeks!

We are having a baby this Friday!

It was supposed to be Thursday. From 14 weeks on I've told people her due date is April 6. However, at my 38-week appointment my doctor told me there'd been an error in scheduling and the new date was Friday, April 7.

This is where my nerd status took over. I am a numbers person. While most women would be thinking about how this new date would change their schedule, I was completely focused on the fact that it's now 4.7.17 instead of 4.6.17. Hmm... How do I feel about this? 7 and 17... well that's kind of nice. Both prime and I like the repetitive 7. But 4 is even so now it doesn't match up with the 7 like the 6 did. Why couldn't she be due in March so I could have all odd numbers? I look up and she's staring at me. "....so I'm sorry about the mix-up but it's only one more day..."

One. More. Day.

There are a lot of things 38-week giant pregnant ladies love to hear. "You are all belly." "You're glowing." "It just looks like a basketball under your shirt!" There are also a lot of things they don't want to hear. "Only one more day" may top the list.

Anyway. Unless Holland decides to come early (my doctor's words: "Not a chance"), we meet her this Friday!

I am so excited. It's been hard to see much of anything in the last few sonos because she's so big. We know she has GIANT cheeks and likes to do the running man. At 37 weeks she measured 8.5 lbs but I'm well aware measurements are oftentimes wrong so I'm expecting her to be somewhere in the 8-9.5 lb range. Past that, this baby is an absolute mystery. Right now I picture her looking like Jude - same dark hair and full lips. We shall see!

Physically, I'm ready. I've had some sciatic nerve pain this past week, which has literally brought me to my knees a few times. The other day I spent exactly 10 minutes trying to get into bed. It was crazy. Michael was trying to be supportive but was so confused why I couldn't just... get into bed. Meanwhile, I was simultaneously crying and laughing because it hurt SO badly yet I also knew (and appreciated) how ridiculous I looked.

Braxton Hicks are stronger and more frequent than ever before but the doctor assured me I will know the difference between them and a true contraction. I never went into labor with the twins but I have this fear if I do go into labor I am absolutely having this baby in a car.

Nesting has reached an all-time high and I've become my own worst enemy because I want to do ALL THE THINGS and then feel completely exhausted from doing all the things. I've yet to find the middle ground. Michael keeps telling me to slow down and my inner dialogue goes something like this: "Slow down? Slow DOWN? Oh no. No, I am going to do the opposite of that and show you how I am still quite capable of unloading this dishwasher in record time." (Two minutes later) "Ohhhhhh dear Lord the clean dishes are multiplying. The baby hates me. My body hates me. I hate me. I must lie down and do absolutely nothing for 30 minutes." And so on. All day.

I sent these two images to Michael the other day. This is me in my 38th week of pregnancy...

This is also me...

The other item worth noting is my ice craving has reached an all-time high. I don't know if it's due to my iron deficiency or just a side effect of this pregnancy but it is so bizarre. Normally I'm the girl who doesn't even put ice in her water and says, "Easy on the ice" when I go to Sonic. Now? I go through cups and cups and cups of ice each day. My teeth despise me.

So there you have it! We are 95% ready for Holland to arrive. Bag is packed. Camera battery is charged. Carseat is installed. I say 95% because can you ever really be 100% ready?

We'd appreciate your prayers this week, especially on Friday. I find it both nerve-wracking and comforting that I fully understand what to expect that day. The surgery is intense but the reward is incredible.